1

Running Head: ACTION RESEARCH

Action Research
Emily Trucks
Education 316
Fall 2015

Initial Teacher Meeting Documentation

ACTION RESEARCH

My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Harris, was very helpful in the process of beginning my
Action Research project. I brought up the topic on my first day in the second grade classroom.
She immediately gave me the names of two students who needed a bit of help in vocabulary
instruction. We continued communication through email, solidifying her choice of students and
the area of instructional need.
September 23, 2015
Hi Mrs. Harris!
I hope the field trip went well today and that you are able to spend the afternoon resting
up. I thought I would email you about Action Research and a few other things I will need
to work on this semester. I know that I will be working with Lilly and Christopher during
this process, but still need to narrow the information down to the specific content I will
cover with them. I just have to turn in a topic to my professors at the end of the day on
Tuesday, so there is no rush to get that set in stone! Thank you so much! Have an
excellent rest of the day!
Emily Trucks
September 28, 2015
Hi Emily!
For your Action Research, do you want to look at how to improve the vocabulary? You
can choose a book focus on 5 to 10 words. Teach them the vocabulary in context and then
quiz them on it if needed. OR look at decoding strategies using consonant blends or
clusters. I will let you decide. Have a great day!
Lydia Harris
September 28, 2015

ACTION RESEARCH

Hi Mrs. Harris!
If it is okay with you, I will work with Lilly and Christopher on vocabulary.
I will come up with a topic question and a fluid outline of the research and bring them for
you to look at tomorrow. Have a wonderful rest of your day!
Emily
September 28, 2015
That sounds great! Have a wonderful day. See you tomorrow.
Lydia
Mrs. Harris chose Lilly (Student A) and Christopher (Student B) to participate in this
study because they are both Tier II learners. As a result, both receive Title I instruction and time
with Samford teachers through Morning Intervention. Both students came into second grade
reading at the level of an exiting first grader. Mrs. Harris hoped that my time with these students
would supplement their other intervention sessions, with all meetings being designed to push the
students toward Tier I instruction.
Essential Question
Initial Question: How will a broader vocabulary improve students comprehension skills?
Second Question: Which of Marzanos strategies of vocabulary instruction will lead to the biggest gains
among Tier II students in Mrs. Harriss second grade classroom?
Final Question: Which of Robert Marzanos strategies of vocabulary instruction, when
implemented, will lead to the deepest understanding of new words among Tier II students in Mrs.
Harriss second grade class?

Baseline and Initial Data

ACTION RESEARCH

Going into this study, I was aware that both students I would be working with were in fact Tier II.
I was not given a list of strengths and weaknesses for each student until after I had facilitated the
screening assessment.
In our first meeting as a group, I gave Student A and Student B the CORE Vocabulary Screener to
complete. In preparation, I printed the screener labeled 1B and the screener labeled 2A. I decided that I
would administer 1B first, just in case 2A would be too complicated. Student A identified 27 out of 30
words correctly. Student B identified 28 out of 30 words correctly, putting both students at a benchmark
level. After administering this screener, I consulted Mrs. Harris for advice. She let me know that both
students read at the level of an exiting first grader, and that, because of this, I should not administer the
screener labeled 2A.
Mrs. Harris sent me home that day with two copies of Frog and Toad All Year. This is the book I
would be reading with my students. I chose to divide the book up, as to read one chapter at a time with
the students, discussing two new vocabulary words with each chapter. I read the book myself and chose
two words from each chapter with which I felt the students would be unfamiliar, whether they had not
seen the words before, or had been using them in conversation without knowing their true meaning. In
doing this, I looked to the 2A CORE Vocabulary Screener in hopes of matching as many words to it as I
could. I came up with the final list shown in the timeline below.
After creating a list of words, it was necessary for me to learn how Student A and Student B felt
toward the words I had chosen. To assess their attitudes, I created the first part of their progress
monitoring chart for them to complete during our second meeting. The assessment consisted of a table
containing each of the ten words we would be learning. The students used crayon to fill in the box
adjacent to each word that best described their feelings toward that word. Student A had three words with
which she was entirely unfamiliar; three words she remotely understood; and four words she felt that, if
necessary, she could teach to the class. Student B had one word with which he was entirely unfamiliar;
three words he remotely understood; and six words he felt, if necessary, he could teach to the class.

ACTION RESEARCH

I decided to challenge the students further by creating an assessment in which the students were
asked to define each word, choosing a definition from a list of options. Both students did very well on this
assessment, with Student A missing no questions, and Student B missing two. However, there was a lot of
guesswork involved, and I had to read the assessment aloud as it was taken, because some of the words
were quite challenging. After discussing the results of the assessments with Mrs. Harris, I chose to
continue with the study of the ten words chosen.
We continued our second meeting with chapter one of Frog and Toad All Year. We read the
chapter together aloud, taking turns reading two pages each. As we went along, I took the time to use our
first strategy, teacher explanation, with the two words from this chapter: tramp and nearby. The students
then took their first comprehension assessments, which I made, containing three questions relating to the
content of the chapter and two questions asking for definitions of the vocabulary words in context. Both
students did very well on this assessment. This showed me that they would be successful in the
completion of this project.
Literature Review

Abstract
This paper will discuss the effective strategies for vocabulary instruction in the elementary
school classroom and beyond. The paper will begin by defining vocabulary instruction and
stating its purpose, along with its significance in relation to the four other key elements of
reading instruction. The paper will go on to discuss the challenges students face when acquiring
a broader vocabulary, and give the reader research-based strategies with which to combat those
challenges. The paper will conclude by discussing the Marzano method of vocabulary
instruction, which the author has chosen to use in her Action Research study.

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Vocabulary Instruction

Vocabulary, along with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension,

should make up a significant portion of instruction when teaching a child to read. While all of
these pieces should make up a significant portion of instruction, it is easy for a teacher to
overlook the importance of one or more elements. Vocabulary, as a whole, is often regarded as a
way to fill gaps in a days training by having students copy definitions from a dictionary.
Vocabulary is often left solely for the students to teach themselves. However, research shows
that this is not the way it should be.
Vocabulary, while seeming simple, is actually quite complex. Not only is it complex, but
it is also significant. In The Essentials of Teaching Children to Read: The Teacher Makes the
Difference, D. Ray Reutzel and Robert B. Cooter, Jr. (2013) state that, vocabulary is the glue
that holds stories, ideas, and content together, making comprehension accessible for children (p.
174). This so-called glue comes in four variations, with one preceding the next: listening
vocabulary, speaking vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary. All of the subsets
of vocabulary are built through a series of language-rich interactions.
Vocabulary is first taught indirectly. Instruction begins when a baby is born, first
occurring through everyday conversation between parent and child. Vocabulary instruction goes
further when children are read to, and then eventually learn to read themselves. A parent can
take these instructional approaches in the comfort of their own home to prepare their child to go
into any social environment successfully. It is building from this foundation that becomes an
issue in further teaching.
While children are taught an abundance of words at home, the indirect instruction of
those words often leads to confusion when taken out of the specific context in which they were

ACTION RESEARCH

learned. Even when children know a word, their understanding can be very superficial (Jalongo
& Sabolak, 2010). This fact can be accredited to the complexity of the English language, as
multiple-meaning words are particularly difficult for children to understand. While a word in
itself may seem simple, beneath that word is a complex system that connects to knowledge and
experience. To truly know a word and its meaning, a child must be able to identify what it
represents and understand the numerous concepts that accompany that word (Jalongo & Sabolak,
2010). The acquisition of this knowledge simply cannot occur when confined to the four walls
of ones home. Further instruction is required to deepen a childs understanding of language.
By the time students reach the upper levels of elementary school, they must be taught
vocabulary through explicit instruction and practice opportunities. Word knowledge in the
primary grades is predictive of reading comprehension in the middle grades and beyond; and it is
the link between the knowledge of word meanings and later text-reading fluency and
comprehension that should be taken into deep consideration when planning effective reading
instruction (Lombardino & Park, 2013). It is often difficult for modern-day teachers to provide
the time and resources necessary to complete the task mentioned here. Fortunately, researchers
have completed a list of concrete strategies for teachers to put to good use.
In Strategies for Effective Vocabulary Instruction, Donna Phillips, Chandra Foote, and
Laurie Harper (2008) describe two types of vocabulary instructional strategies: tried but not true,
and true but less tried. Many would argue that modern-day teachers are basing their instruction
on what they have previously been taught, thus instructing the current generation in the tried but
not true methods aforementioned. Research shows that, in order to get their desired results,
teachers need to make a few adjustments.

ACTION RESEARCH

The first methods mentioned are those that are tried but not true. There are only two of
these traditional methods: definition copying, and context clues. For as long as many can
remember, these practices have been routine throughout the United States, in good school
systems and in bad. Research has found, however, that although they are widely accepted, these
methods fail to develop the rational knowledge that is necessary for true understanding of the
concept behind the given vocabulary words. This can be proven by the fact that each described
practice utilizes the lowest levels of cognitive processing listed in Blooms Taxonomy (Foote,
Harper, & Phillips, 2008).
However, there is hope for struggling teachers in the form of true but less tried strategies.
Five research-based, effective strategies fall into this category: selecting words, graphic
organizers, logic and prediction, synonyms and antonyms, and classifying words. When the
strategies listed are incorporated into instruction, students are able to gain control of the content
being presented, and are therefore encouraged to think more broadly about words, on a much
deeper level. As word collectors, they will be prepared to leave the classroom and share their
knowledge with the outside world, carrying with them the ability to associate words with a wide
range of concepts (Foote, Harper, & Phillips, 2008).
For the authors Action Research, she has chosen to use an instructional strategy based on
the work of Robert J. Marzano. In Action Research instruction, two students will be given two
new vocabulary words each week and asked to represent them in a certain way. One week, they
will simply discuss the words. The next week, they will draw a picture to represent them.
Several demonstration methods will be used by the end of the project, to ensure that both
students have the opportunity to learn the words in a way that is most beneficial to them. The
author will be observing and collecting data throughout the chain of meetings to see the

ACTION RESEARCH

preferences of each child and how they relate to performance on a series of comprehension
exams.
Vocabulary instruction is often overlooked in the modern-day classroom. Research has
shown that this should not be the case. By employing strategies that will engage the student in
the learning of new words, teachers can ensure the production of intelligent, active members of
greater society. The resources are available; and the research has proven true. Teachers must
now take matters into their own hands.
References
Cooter, Robert B. Jr., & Reutzel, D. Ray. (2013). The Essentials of Teaching Children to Read:
The Teacher Makes the Difference. United States of America: Pearson Education.
Foote, Chandra, Harper, Laurie, & Phillips, Donna. (2008). Strategies for Effective Vocabulary
Instruction. Reading Improvement, 62-69. Retrieved from eds.b.ebscohost.com
Jalongo, Mary, & Sobolak, Michelle. (2010). Supporting Young Childrens Vocabulary Growth:
The Challenges, the Benefits, and Evidence-Based Strategies. Early Childhood
Education, 38, 421-429. Retrieved from eds.a.ebscohost.com
Lombardino, Linda, & Park, Yujeong. (2013). Exploring The Nature of Effective Word Study
Instruction for Struggling Readers: Practical Applications for Broader Perspective of the
Simple View of Reading. International Journal of Special Education, 28(1), 81-90.
Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov

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Timeline of Implementation

Session

What to Accomplish

Session One: September 29th

Finalize Question and Approve Timeline

Meet with Student A and Student B
Administer CORE Vocabulary Screening: 1B
Students Take Attitude Survey
Students Take Initial Assessment
Frog and Toad All Year Chapter 1
Chapter One: Tramp and Nearby
I Explain Words
Students Take Comprehension Test
Frog and Toad All Year Chapter 2
Chapter Two: Spoiled and Asleep
Students Explain Words
Students Take Comprehension Test

Session Two: October 6th

Session Three: October 14th

th

Session Four: October 19 -20

th

Session Four, Continued: October 22nd

Session Five: October 27th

Session Six: November 3rd

Session Seven: November 17th

Frog and Toad All Year Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Melt and Awful
Students Draw Picture of Words with Definition
Students Take Comprehension Test
Students Take Midpoint Assessment
Frog and Toad All Year Chapter 4
Chapter Four: Rake and Surprise
Students Write Analogies and Metaphors
Students Take Comprehension Test
Frog and Toad All Year Chapter 5
Chapter Five: Decorate and Remember
Students Play Game with All Vocab Words
Students Take Comprehension Test
Review Vocabulary
Students Take Attitude Survey
Students Take Final Assessment and Reflect

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Data Collection

Date

September 29

October 6

th

October 14

October
19th 22nd

th

th

Strategy Taught

Assessment

Initial Meeting

CORE Vocabulary
Screener 1B

Direct Vocabulary
Instruction:
Teacher Explanation

Teacher-Made
Comprehension
Assessment

Indirect Vocabulary
Instruction:
Student Explanation

Teacher-Made
Screening Assessment
for All Words and
Teacher-Made
Comprehension
Assessment

Dictionary Use to
Find Meaning of
Vocabulary Words
and Vocabulary
Through Images

Teacher-Made
Worksheet Asking for
Definition and Drawn
Images
Teacher-Made
Comprehension
Assessment
Teacher-Made
Midpoint Assessment

Observations

Next Steps

Students are reading at

a level fit for the end
of first grade.
Student A: Got all
words correct on
screening assessment,
but made some
guesses.
Student B: Missed two
words on the
screening assessment.
Both: Did
very well with the two
vocabulary words and
comprehension.
Student A: Has trouble
reading on her own,
both silently and
aloud. Seemed
disengaged.
Student B: Reads
excellently, both aloud
and to himself.
Both: Missed the word
asleep on
comprehension test.
Will go back and
review.
Student A: Has some
trouble with
dictionary skills, but is
an excellent artist. Got
both definitions
completed with help
and drew pictures
independently.
Student B: Is

Read Frog and Toad

All Year and discuss
vocabulary in context.

Indirect Vocabulary
Instruction

Direct Vocabulary
Instruction with
Practice through a
Visual Representation
of Words

Direct Vocabulary
Instruction with
Practice through
Analogies

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October 27th

November 3rd

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Completion of
Analogies to Recall
Word Uses

Vocabulary BINGO
to Review
Definitions

Teach-Made Analogy
Worksheet
Teacher-Made
Comprehension
Assessment

Teacher-Made
Comprehension
Assessment and
Teacher-Made
BINGO Cards

comfortable using a
dictionary and
completed the
assessment
successfully.
Both: Enjoy lessons
more when they are
interactive and have a
concrete goal. Got all
vocabulary answers
correct on
comprehension test.
Student A: Has trouble
paying attention when
she is not reading
herself. Missed two
questions on the
comprehension
assessment.
Student B: Gets
distracted when he is
not reading. Got all
questions correct on
the comprehension
assessment.
Both: Quickly grasped
the concept of
analogies and were
able to answer all
questions on the
teacher-made
worksheet correctly.
Student A: Responds
well to prompting
when asked to define
words. Cannot read
multi-syllable
vocabulary words
independently.
Student B: More timid
when answering
questions, reflecting
on his thoughts before
making a

Review of All
Vocabulary Discussed
Through BINGO
Game

Final Review
and Assessment

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November 17th

13

Final Review
Final Assessment

Teacher-Made Final
Assessment

proclamation.
Both: Quickly grasped
the concept of BINGO
and played the game
well. Scored 100% on
comprehension test.
Both: Scored 100% on
final vocabulary
assessment. Feel
comfortable with all
words.

Data Analysis
and Reflection

Midpoint Data Observations

Successful Strategies:
Teacher Explanation of Words
Visual Representation of Words
Strengths:
Student A
Very confident in work and in ability
Does well with recalling previously taught information
A very visual learner
Student B
Pays very close attention to lessons
Pays very close attention to detail in assignments
An auditory learner
Concerns:
Student A
Has a rather short attention span
Does a lot of guesswork on assessments
Student B
Lacks confidence in work and ability, often causing him to second-guess himself
on assessments
Final Data Observations
Successful Strategies:
Teacher Explanation of Words
Visual Representation of Words
Analogy Completion with Words

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Vocabulary BINGO

Strengths:
Student A
A very visual student
Highly confident in work, even when it is incorrect
Creative with answers and critical-thinking responses
Student B
Uses concrete objects to understand abstract concepts
Easily recalls previously taught information
Easily recalls previous text
Concerns:
Student A
Very easily distracted
Gets bored quickly when learning
Has trouble understanding the big picture
Student B
Does not show confidence in abilities, even when proven correct time and time
again

Student Progress Monitoring Charts

Student A

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Beginning and End

Student B
Beginning and End

Data Reflection

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As I hope is evident through my collected data and the student progress monitoring
charts, there was indeed growth throughout this process. Student A began with full confidence in
four of the ten words, and can now interpret and use all of the words effectively in language.
Student B began with full confidence in six of the ten words, and can now interpret and use all
ten correctly in language.
The purpose of this study was to implement six of Robert J. Marzanos proven methods
of vocabulary instruction and find the one method that led to the greatest gains among these two
students. As is shown in the graph on page fourteen, four of the five tested methods were
successful. The students did very well when I explained the words to them; when they were able
to visually represent the words in a way of their choosing; when they related unfamiliar words to
familiar concepts through the use of analogies; and when they reviewed the definitions of words
through a game of BINGO. All of these activities were engaging to the students, which I feel led
to their success.
The only strategy I found to be unsuccessful was that of student explanation. In our third
meeting together, I assigned Student A the task of defining the word spoiled and Student B the
task of defining the word asleep. I simply asked each student to explain their thinking when we
came to each word in the second chapter of the text. I did not add to their definitions. I simply sat
there as if I were not present, as a teacher is not present when most implicit vocabulary
instruction takes place between peers. Both students grasped the meaning of the word spoiled,
but had trouble creating meaning for the word asleep. I believe Student B overthought the word
just a little bit in his processing.
There were certain strategies that appealed to one student over another throughout this
study, as I have recorded in my anecdotal notes. I feel that it is important to take each students

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17

learning and cognitive styles into account when analyzing the data given above. Student A is a
visual learner and easily recalls information. Because of this, I feel that she did her best work
with visual vocabulary representation and the review game. Student B is an auditory learner, who
also recalls information very well. While he is a good student, he lacks confidence in his
abilities. Because of his learning style, cognitive style, and personality, Student B responded best
to the conceptualization of words through analogies, and to the review game. I also feel that he
responded well to these items because they did not have to be shared with an audience.
The data presented here lines up exactly with the overriding theme of my review of the
literature: that the childs social environment must not be the only vessel through which
vocabulary is acquired. By this, I simply mean that explicit vocabulary instruction, while not
always being a priority in the classroom, is proven to be necessary for a childs language
development. It should, therefore, become a priority in order for teachers to truly make a
difference in the future.
Project Reflection
I would like to begin by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this vocabulary
study alongside Student A and Student B. It was an honor to work with such eager, hard-working
learners through this process. The students seemed to enjoy the study as well. I feel it was a bit of
a break from their rigorous intervention periods throughout the day.
While I would consider this project to be a success, a few instructional changes could
have occurred. Firstly, I would have given the students more opportunities to speak with one
another, and to me, about what they learned each week. I feel that if time had allowed, we could
have reflected on this process far more as a group, and thus deepened understanding. Secondly,
along with the reflection time, I would have added time to discuss, in depth, the purpose behind

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18

our study of the ten new words. I feel that, while this was covered briefly, the students would
have benefitted from a greater explanation of the process and its intent.
I would happily participate in another study with Student A and Student B next semester.
I am excited to have seen such progress and look forward to monitoring their growth as I am in
their classroom through the month of March.

Assessments Used

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Initial and Final Vocabulary Assessment
Can you tell me what the following words mean?

1. Tramp
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Stomp
To Slide
To Hop
To Skip

2. Nearby
a.
b.
c.
d.

Far Away
Tomorrow
Close
Nowhere

3. Spoiled
a. Great
b. Tasty
c. Sad
d. Ruined
4. Asleep
a.
b.
c.
d.

Tired
Sleeping
Awake
Beautiful

5. Awful
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Fall in Small Drops

Bad
Happy
Wonderful

6. Melt
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Burn
To Become Liquid
To Become Solid
To Be Happy

7. Rake
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Gather With a Tool

To Sleep
To Dance
To Wake Up

8. Surprise
a. To Jump

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b. To Yell
c. To Cause Someone to Feel Shock
d. To Throw a Party
9. Decorate
a. To Make Pretty by Adding Items
b. To Sign
c. To Pop
d. To Eat
10. Remember
a. To Forget
b. To Recall
c. To Smile
d. To Scare
Midpoint Vocabulary Assessment
What do these word mean?
1. Tramp
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Breathe
To Copy
To Walk
To Stomp

2. Nearby
a.
b.
c.
d.

Far Away
Touching
Close To
Tomorrow

3. Spoiled
a. Ruined
b. Confused
c. Tired
d. Great
4. Asleep
a.
b.
c.
d.

Sleeping
Awake
Around
Hopping

5. Awful
a. Good
b. Bad
c. Sad

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22

d. Scary
6. Melt
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Freeze
To Be Warm
To Become Liquid
To Write

Frog and Toad Chapter 1

1. What season is it in this part of the story?
a. Winter
b. Spring
c. Summer
d. Fall
2. How does Toad feel about it being so cold outside?
a. Happy
b. Upset
3. Read these sentences: Frog and Toad went outside. They tramped through the snow.
What does the word tramped mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Jumped
Stomped
Ran
Smiled

4. Read this sentence: A crow flew nearby.

What does the word nearby mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Close
Far Away
In the Middle
At the Beach

5. What happens to Toad as he is sledding?

a. He crashes.
b. He flies away.
c. He stays on his sled the entire time.
d. He and Frog make it down the hill safely.

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Frog and Toad Chapter 2

1. What season is it in this part of the story?
a. Winter
b. Spring
c. Summer
d. Fall
2. Frog tells a Toad a story about when he was a young tadpole. Who else is included in the story?
a. Frogs grandmother
b. Frogs sister
c. Frogs father
d. Frogs pet fish
3. Read these sentences: I am all wet, said Toad. The day is spoiled.
What does the word spoiled mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Great
Beautiful
Funny
Ruined

4. Read this sentence: There was only an old worm asleep on a tree stump.
What does the word asleep mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Happy
Sleeping
Awake
Tired

5. At the end of the story, where do Frog and Toad run?

a. Outside, to see if spring has come
b. To the ice cream parlor
c. To the North Pole
d. Outside to pick berries

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Name

_________________

Our Words in Pictures!

Define the bold words using a

Awful

Definition

dictionary. Then draw pictures.

Melting

Definition

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Frog and Toad Chapter 3

1. What season is it in this part of the story?

a. Winter
b. Spring
c. Summer
d. Fall
2. What special treat does Toad purchase in this chapter?
a. Candy
b. Ice Cream
c. Coffee
d. A Pet Dog
3. Read this sentence: This ice cream is melting in the sun, said Toad.
What does the word melting mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Turning to Liquid
Watching TV
Playing a Game
Freezing

4. Read this sentence: I just saw something awful! cried the mouse.
What does the word awful mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Wonderful
Sad
Happy
Bad

5. At the end of the story, where do we find Frog and Toad?

a. At the Grocery Store
b. Underneath a Tree
c. At the Beach
d. On a Boat
e.

Name ________________

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Fun with Analogies

Use the word bank to fill in the blanks below.

Tramp

Nearby

Spoiled
Melting

Asleep
Awful

Rake

Surprise

1. Ice cream is to __________________ as steam is to rising.

2. Leaves are to __________________ as grass is to lawnmower.
3. Stomp is to ___________________ as run is to sprint.
4. Bad is to ___________________ as good is to wonderful.
5. Shock is to __________________ as plan is to know.
6. Milk is to __________________ as bread is to stale.
7. Near is to __________________ as far is to far away.
8. Bed is to __________________ as school is to awake.
FrogandToadChapter4

1. Whatseasonisitinthispartofthestory?

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a.
b.
c.
d.

27

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

2. FrogandToadworktosurpriseeachotherbydoingwhat?
a. RakingLeaves
b. TellingStories
c. GoingShopping
d. SleddingDownaHill
3. Readthissentence:Iwillrakealloftheleavesthathavefallenonhislawn.
Whatdoesthewordrakemean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

ToRead
ToCollectUsingaGardenTool
ToBagUp
ToJumpIn

4. Readthissentence:Toadwillbesurprised.
Whatdoesthewordsurprisedmean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Shocked
Happy
Mad
Confused

5. WhathashappenedtotheleavesinbothFrogandToadsyardswhentheyarrivehome?
a. TheyareRakedNeatlyinPiles
b. TheyareScatteredEverywhere
c. TheyareDancing
d. TheyareGone

Name ________________

ACTION RESEARCH

28

Tramp

Rake

Spoiled

Surprise

Asleep

Nearby

Melt

Decorate

Awful

Vocabulary BINGO
Cross out the word when you hear its definition. Try for 3 in a row!

Name ________________

ACTION RESEARCH

29

Remember

Asleep

Spoiled

Nearby

Melt

Rake

Awful

Surprise

Decorate

Vocabulary BINGO
Cross out the word when you hear its definition. Try for 3 in a row!

Frog and Toad Chapter 5

ACTION RESEARCH

30

1. What season is it in this part of the story?

a. Winter
b. Summer
c. Spring
d. Fall
2. Frog is late to Christmas dinner. How does Toad feel about this?
a. Happy
b. Worried
c. Surprised
d. Tired
3. Read this sentence: He decorated the tree.
What does the word decorate mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.

To Make Pretty
To Make Ugly
To Lift Up
To Buy

4. Read these sentences: Toad looked at his clock. He remembered it was broken.
What does the word remember mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.

To Scare
To Recall
To Forget
To See

Why is Frog late to Christmas dinner?

a. He Was Dancing
b. He Was Sleeping
c. He Did Not Want to Come
d. He Was Wrapping Toads Present

Name ________________________
How Do You Feel About Our Words?

ACTION RESEARCH

31
Check the box that describes your feelings.

Tramp
Nearby
Spoiled
Asleep
Melt
Awful
Rake
Surprise
Decorate
Remember

I do not know the

I think I

meaning of this

understand what

word.

this means.

I could teach this

word to my class.